Showdown: Will Nancy Pelosi Face a Green Party Candidate as Her Lone Challenger in Novemb

by repost
Monday Jun 2nd, 2014 5:53 PM

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has had electoral opponents before - including Republicans, Greens, independents and others. But this year will be different. Because of the so-called "top two" primary, only one other candidate will appear on the November 2014 ballot as an alternative to Pelosi. Green Party member and social justice activist Barry Hermanson intends to be that alternative.

Showdown: Will Nancy Pelosi Face a Green Party Candidate as Her Lone Challenger in November?

SAN FRANCISCO--Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has had electoral opponents before - including Republicans, Greens, independents and others.

But this year will be different.

Because of the so-called "top two" primary, only one other candidate will appear on the November 2014 ballot as an alternative to Pelosi.

Green Party member and social justice activist Barry Hermanson intends to be that alternative.

Hermanson hopes to pressure Pelosi into debating him on the issues that matter to San Franciscans. He notes that Pelosi has not participated in any public debates in her district since 1987.

"David Campos and David Chiu have participated in debates all over San Francisco for the honor of serving in the State Assembly. I expect nothing less from a candidate for Congress," said Hermanson.

Hermanson, who played a key role in the successful local initiative to raise the minimum wage, is championing a platform of global living wages, an improved Medicare for All, and free tuition at all community colleges and public universities in California.

Hermanson is running as a Green Party candidate in California's blanket primary on June 3, 2014, seeking to represent California's 12th congressional district.

Hermanson advocates a living wage, Medicare for all, interest free student loans, bringing US troops home from abroad, eliminating homelessness in America, labeling GMO foods, taxing carbon emissions and removing money from politics, among other positions. He opposes drone warfare, mass surveillance by the US government, the Keystone XL pipeline, and fracking, among other issues.

"I have another reason for supporting Barry – he has been on the picket line at Hotel Frank again and again and again. He doesn’t do this because he is trolling for votes at our small hotel. He does it because he supports workers’ rights, just like he did when he co-authored San Francisco’s landmark minimum wage law, and co-chaired the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition. I haven’t seen Pelosi anywhere near the Hotel Frank picket line. I don’t remember her getting down in the trenches and fighting for increased wages for the lowest paid workers in this city."